Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 05.pdf/195

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A LADY IN COURT. mother's kitchen window; if not, you will see the full, true, and dreadful particulars in the papers, as we are to be "had up " at the Old Bailey on Mon day next for the trial. We have seen a good deal of life and learned a great deal of the criminal law of England this week,— knowledge cheaply pur chased at the cost of all my wardrobe and all my mother's plate. W'e have gone through two ex aminations in court : they were very hurrying and agitating affairs, and 1 had to kiss either the Bible or the magistrate, I don't know which, but // smelt HAMITON HALL, DORCHESTER, of thumbs. I find that the idea of personal property is a fas Saturday [Oct. 14], 1846. cinating illusion, for our goods belong in fact to our Your kind little note followed me hither, dear country and not to us; and that the petticoats and Miss Berry. As you guessed, I was obliged to fol stockings which I fondly imagined mine are really low my things (as the maids always call their the petticoats of Great Britain and Ireland. I am raiment) into the very jaws of the law! I think now and then indulged with a distant glimpse of the Old Bailey is a very charming place. We were my most necessary garments in the hands of dif introduced to a live Lord Mayor, and I sat be ferent policemen; but " in this stage of the pro tween two sheriffs. The Common Sergeant talked ceedings " may do no more than wistfully recog to me familiarly, and I am not sure that the Governor of Newgate did not call me " Nelly." nize them. Even on such occasions the words of justice are : " Policeman В 25, produce your As for the Rev. Mr. Carver (the ordinary), if the inherent vanity of my sex does not mislead me, I gowns '• Letter C, tie up your stockings." All this is har think I hive made a deep impression there. Alto rowing to the feelings, but one cannot have every gether my Old Bailey recollections are of the most pleasing and gratifying nature. It is true I have thing in this life. We have obtained justice, and can easily wait for a change of linen. Hopes are only got three pairs and a half of stockings, one held out to us that at some vague period in the gown, and two shawls; but that is but a trifling con lapse of time we may be allowed to wear all of our sideration in studying the glorious institutions of raiment, — at least so much of it as may have our country. We were treated with the greatest resisted the wear and tear of justice; and my poor respect and ham sandwiches, and two magistrates mother looks confidently forward to being restored handed us down to our carriage. • to the bosom of her silver teapot. But I don't know. I begin to look on all property with a philosophic. HAMPTON COURT, Octo. 22nd. eye as unstable in its nature; moreover the police My mother and I have returned to this place and I have had my clothes so in common that I for a few days in order to make an ineffectual grasp shall never feel at home in them again. To a vir at any remaining property. Of course you have tuous mind the idea that " Inspector Dawsett" heard that we were robbed and murdered the examined into all one's hooks and eyes, tapes and other night by a certain soft-spoken cook who buttons, is inexpressibly painful. But I cannot headed a storming-party of banditti through my pursue that view of the subject."
 * " " Letter A 26, identify your lace;"

THE following piquant sketch of a first experience of the Old Bailey is from a letter to Miss Berry by Lady Dufferin, grand daughter of Sheridan and mother of Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy of India. It n' found in the life of Miss Berry and her sister by Lady Theresa Lewis, vol. iii. p. 497; and its humor is not unworthy of the wit of the "Critic," or the fun of the " Yacht Voyage to Iceland.*'